by Marc A. Pitman | May 24, 2018 | 3. Ask, Fundraising Letters
Fundraising is a counter-intuitive profession. But it is a profession. Experts research fundraising tactics and test strategies to find out what works. Often, the results seem illogical. Like is the case in writing fundraising letters that actually raise money. The...
by Marc A. Pitman | Jul 20, 2017 | 2. Engage, 3. Ask, Fundraising Letters, Fundraising Secrets, Stories
I recently blogged about a storytelling tip for nonprofit leaders that I learned from Kindra Hall. The tip is especially powerful in nonprofit fundraising. Kindra took the millenia old story structure - beginning, middle, end - and reframed it as normal, explosion,...
by Marc A. Pitman | Dec 21, 2016 | 3. Ask, Fundraising Letters, Internet & Social Media
Writing the only part of the email your donors might see: the email subject line Is your inbox filled with holiday sales, year end reminders, and charity appeals? It can be challenging to make your own nonprofit's emails standout! The email subject line. Much like the...
by Marc A. Pitman | Jul 7, 2016 | 2. Engage, 3. Ask, Fundraising Letters
Have you ever struggled with the active voice vs. passive voice in your fundraising letters? It's so easy to slip into the passive voice, thinking it sounds more "objective" or "business-like." But active voice is easier to read and is better at accomplishing your...
by Marc A. Pitman | Jan 14, 2016 | 3. Ask, Fundraising Letters, Video
Fall fundraising is hard enough. But listening to NPR's All Things Considered on my ride home this evening, I remembered how much more challenging political mailing will make your fundraising this fall. So I pulled to the side of the rode to record this...
by Marc A. Pitman | Oct 19, 2015 | 3. Ask, Fundraising Letters, Fundraising Myths, Fundraising Secrets
This morning, I read a great post by Terry St. Marie called "The Critical First Step For Great Leadership: The Journey From 'I' to 'We'." His movement from ego-centricity to inclusiveness is something as critical in fundraising as it is in leadership. Normally "we" is...
